Thoughts, links, inside information and program previews from the host of Chicagoland's premier local-access political talk show.

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

Former Gov. Edgar speaks out—It’s now 50-50. A few more weeks.

Jim Edgar: I would have said we are not going to steal from the pension fund. We are not going to borrow money that you shouldn’t borrow. I would have said we are going to either have to cut expenditures in other places or raise revenues. Nobody likes that.

Jeff Berkowitz: Which would you do?

Jim Edgar: Well, we--If I get to be Governor, you’ll find out.Thank you all [Press Conference concludes].*********************************************** Jim Edgar held a 20 minute press conference this afternoon-- outdoors in the pleasant late afternoon summer sunshine and informal atmosphere at the Tribune plaza in the Chicago Loop. Finishing around 4:30 pm, the once and perhaps future Governor’s wrap up was just in time for the 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm evening news, and at least on the 6:00 pm ABC-7 news, Andy Shaw’s report on Edgar followed closely behind the Katrina lead.

Edgar was at ease, in control and obviously enjoyed the back and forth with the press. This is a pol who has a good rapport with the press, or at least is having a bit of a honeymoon with the print and electronic media members who were there. He faced a few hardballs, but he deflected them like the pro that he is.

Seeing Dick Kay, the Dean of the Chicago political press corp. in attendance, Edgar cracked, “I thought you had retired.” Kay shot back, “I thought you had [retired], too…are you going to stay retired.” That became the first question of a presser that focused on the status of the former Governor’s [1991-98] decision of whether he should do it one more time [for the State, his Party and his own peace of mind].

Much of the press conference dealt with Edgar’s health and his family, no doubt the two major factors that he is considering as he makes a decision about running. Another factor, not discussed this afternoon, would be to trade in his comfortable life style and reported 600K, or so, annual income, for a not so comfortable campaign and what could be four to eight turbulent political and public policy years.

Jim Edgar made clear, several times, that he is considering a run at the request of “most of the state party leaders,” but he declined my request [and that of Dick Kay] to identify the “Party leaders.” He denied having any conversations with the White House or Karl Rove about a run.

Former Governor Edgar's general discussion suggested that his pride in and commitment to the State, what he believes he accomplished in eight years as Governor and what he seems to think is the sorry condition of the State under Governor Blagojevich would be motivating factors for him to make a run. The fact that none of the current crop of Republican candidates appears to be as well known as he is would also appear to be a factor in his decision **************************************A partial transcript of today's press conference is included, below. ***********************************************Former Gov. Jim Edgar: I think 50-50 [as to his running] is probably as safe as any number and that’s still-- until you make a decision-- is really kind of irrelevant. ****************************************Jim Edgar: I am hopeful that I’ll be able to in the next few weeks come to a decision and make it known. *************************************Former Gov. Jim Edgar: You want to get a sense of support. Not just in the party [but] outside the party. …also, on the fundraising, it is a lot easier to get commitments before you commit than after you commit. So, there is a variety of those kinds of things that you want to have done [before deciding whether to run for Governor] and also, again, it’s a decision that the family—and I’ve got some feedback from them and they continue to think and we’ll talk some more. ***********************************Jim Edgar: All I can say is that I have been asked to think about it and I am thinking about it [running for Governor]. I’m not trying to hide. I am not trying to be coy. I’m not saying “No, I ‘m not interested.” I am willing to think about it. But, I don’t have an answer yet. And we can sit here and talk about that. Hopefully, in a few weeks I’ll have something definite to tell you. And, when I do, I’ll tell you. ************************************** Jim Edgar: Brenda [his wife] will be a major factor in my decision... I think Brenda has some misgivings. She has also said, “It is your decision.” …when they say that, you better take into account what their opinion is and I owe it to her. Good Heavens, that poor woman, I have drug her through more campaigns and, you know, eight years in the Governor’s mansion is not all peaches and cream…She is extremely interested to find out what the doctors have to say [referring to a report from the doctors as to his health that he is waiting for, as he considers a run].

Jeff Berkowitz: Governor, Bob Kjellander, does that relationship concern you-- that you have with Mr. Kjellander [Illinois’ RNC honcho] and his wife in light of all that has been said [about Kjellander] in the last [few] months.

Jim Edgar: Bob and I have known each other. We worked together on Jim Thompson’s staff many years ago. I have known him. We agree on some things. We disagree on others.

Berkowitz: But, having a venture with his wife on a horse farm, does that—

Jim Edgar: I don’t think that has anything to do with Bob. If you know anything about—Bob doesn’t know the front end of a horse-- Judy used to work for me in the Secretary of State’s office. She is a lawyer. You know, I guess if that’s all they’ve got to make in this campaign, that’s a pretty—

Berkowitz: What about MSI? Does that concern you? That scandal?

Jim Edgar: All I’ve got to say is—you guys—we spent two years with MSI. The U. S. Attorney’s office and let me tell you—they were very thorough. They looked at everything—my staff. I think-- again, if that’s all we’ve got to talk about in this campaign- if that’s all the other side has to talk about—I don’t know what they’ve done the last three years. ********************************************Jim Edgar: The people don’t like to be told, “No.” But, unfortunately, if you are the leader and you’re the person who has to make the tough decisions and balance the budget, you’ve got to be willing to say no. The reason that we got out of the financial mess that I found the state in when I became Governor was because I said no, and then eventually I could say yes. But, you can’t say yes when you don’t have the money. And, unfortunately that’s what the Blagojevich Administration has done for the last three years. They say yes to education, which is very important. They say yes to hospital care- very important, but unfortunately they didn’t have the money. They had to go out and steal it from the pension funds and that to me—that is very unfortunate.

Jeff Berkowitz: Would you have said “No,” to those things?

Jim Edgar: I would have said we are not going to steal from the pension fund. We are not going to borrow money that you shouldn’t borrow. I would have said we are going to either have to cut expenditures in other places or raise revenues. Nobody likes that.

Jeff Berkowitz: Which would you do?

Jim Edgar: Well, we--If I get to be Governor, you’ll find out.Thank you all [Press Conference concludes].*************************************************************Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs and an Executive Recruiter doing Legal Search, can be reached at JBCG@aol.com ***********